Tractor hitch



N. O. JQHNSON ET A],

TRACTOR HITCH June 29 1926. 1,590,582

Filed August a. 1925 s sheets-sheet 2 31mm Qbefo 0. j ofmvw, QXWW SO aC9. flwdwvw m. I Va June 29 1926. 1,590,582

N. o. JOHNSON AL TRACTOR HITCH Filed August 6, 1925 3 Sheets-Sheet 5Gamma Patented June .29, 1926.

UNITED STATES NELS' o. JOENSQN AND EDGAR c. ammason, or xnniromimmnasou.

'rnac'ron n'rrcn.

Application and August s, 1925. Berin No. 43,538.

Our invention relates to improvements in hitches for connecting leadingvehicles, such as tractors, with trailing loads, for instance,

- V dump carts.

One object of the invention is to provide a new and improvedconstruction of hitch which will place the weight of part of the loadupon a tractor with which it is used, at a point in advance ofthe'reardriven axle of said tractor, said-point being also below theaxle. Thus, not only isefiectivetraction provided for between the drivenwheels and the ground or'roadway, but the combined weight of the loadacting upon the tractor and the rearward pull of such load, serve toefiectively hold at; front end of the machine down, preventing it frompossibly bucking. A further object of the invention is to. provide ahitch in which unique provision is made for permitting all necessaryrelative movement of the leading machine and trailer or load andminimizing distortion of the hitch through forming unusually widebearing surfaces between the parts.

Yet another objectis to provide a construction which may be quickly andeasily attached to a tractor of well known form and may readily beconstructed for con-' nection with other forms of tractors or analogousleading machines. 7

With the foregoing in view, the inven--' tion resides in the novelsubject matter hereinafter described and claimed, the de-, scriptionbeing supplemented by the accompanying drawings. Figure 1 is a top planview of asportion of a tractor, a dump cart behind the same, and theimproved hitch connecting the trac-. tor and cart, and by dotted-linesthis view illustrates the manner in which angling'of the leading andtrailing vehicles is permitted when making a turn.

4 -"section,,showing the parts illustrated in Fig.

1 and disclosing the manner in whichrela tive vertical movements of theleading and trailing vehicles, may take place. Fi re 3' 's a rearelevation disclosing the 0 way in which the tractor and the load'maytion withsuch housin z the plates 1 are provi ed with bossesQ. from withrespect to the Figure 2 is a side elevation partly in Figure 5 is avertical transverse section on line 5-5 of Fig. 4.

Figure 6 is substantiallyv ahorizontal section on line 6--6 of Fig. 4.

Figure 7 is anotherhorizontal sectional view as indicated by line 7-7 ofFig. 4. I Figure 8 is a vertical transverse sectional view on line 8-8of Fig. 7.

The form of construction herein disclosed will be hereinafter ratherspecifically de-- scribed, With; the understanding at the outset thatwithin the scope of the invention as claimed, modifications may be made,par- I tlcularly when the htich is to be used in connection withmachines other than those herein shown.

. The numerals 1 designate a pair of @1011- gated arcuateplates whichare adapted to be secured against opposite sides of. a tractordifferential housing H, by a number of the bolts B commonly. employed inc0nnec which axially alined trunnions 3 project, said trunnions beingdisposed at such points The outer sides of lates 1, as to occupypositions in front 0 the rear tractor axle A, and below said axle. Twolongitudinally disposed arms 4 have their front ends pro- I vided withbearings 5 which are pivotally mounted upon the trunnions 3, the rearends 7 of said arms being vertically widened and joined to 'a verticalplate'6 which is pro erably of circular outline. Both the plate 6 andthearms 45 preferably have a propriate reinforcing ribs 7 located at esiredpoints. Contacting with the rear side of the plate 6,-is asimilarvertical plate 8, j

these two plates being pivoted together on a horizontal axis 9' which isdisposed lonlgitudinally of the tractor or the like. n-

.tegral with the plate 8. preferably below the pivot 9, or otherwiserigidly joined to said plate, is a horizontal rearwardly rojecting plate.10, and resting upon this p ate 10, is-

a second horizontal plate 11 which is p iv. oted to said plate 10 on avertical axis 12. Any desired'provision may be made for connectin thetrailer or*load with the plate. 11; .the present showing, this plate isprovided with two integral, upstanding prp.

ections 13 to which the downwardly turn front ends 14 of longitudinaldraft bars 15 are by f bolts); .or,. other desired III The pivot. 12permits necessary relative angling of the tractor and the load whenrounding corners or making any turns; the

pivot 9 permits relative turning of the tracessary vertical movement ofthe tractor with respect to the.load and vice versa, for instance, whenone must,tr'avel downgrade and the other upgrade, as when going over thecrest of a hill or when traveling across a gully or depression. s 7 Notonly are all necessary relative movements between the load and thetowing vehicle permitted, but when the invention is used in connectionwith a tractor, which is our primary intent, part of the weight of theload is carried by the tractor at a point below and in front of the reardriven axle thereof. Thus, not only does the load exert a downward forceon the tractor to insure good traction between its rear wheels and thesurface over which the machine is being propelled, but this downwardforce combined with the rearward pull which the load exerts upon thetractor, effectively prevents the latter from bucking, that is, preventsits front end from raising from the ground. Further, through the use ofrelatively large disk-like contact plates, we provide bearing surfaceswhich minimize distortion .of the hitch, which distortion ordinarilyresults from twisting and straining of-the usual connections.

Excellent results have been obtained from.

the general construction shown, and it is therefore preferably followed.However, within the scope ofthe invention as claimed, variations may bemade as hereinbefore set forth.

We claim:

cle on a horizontal transverse axis, a second c plate contacting withthe rear side of the first named plate and pivoted thereto on ahorizontal longitudinal axis, a third plate projecting rearwardly fromthe second plate and rigidly joincd thereto, and a fourth platepivotally connected on a vertical axis with said third plate, saidfourth plate being adapted for connection with the load.

2. A structure as specified in claim 1; said fourth plate being providedwith upstanding'projections to which a portion of the load may besecured.

3. A tractorhitch comprising a plates secured to opposite sides of t erunning gear housing, transversely alined trunnions carried by theplates in advance of and below the rear axle of a tractor, a pair offorwardly projecting arms pivoted at their front ends to the trunnions,a vertical relatively large disk-like plate inter-connecting the rearends of said arms, a second relatively large disk-like plate contactingwith the rear face of the other vertical plate and pivoted thereto'on acentral longitu-- dinal horizontal axis, a third relatively largedisk-like plateextending rearwardly from and rigidly fixed to the secondlate below and adjacent its pivot point, a ourth disklike plate restingupon the third plate and pivoted thereto on a central vertical axis, anda pair of upstanding projections on the fourth plate adapted forconnection to a vehicle or the like being drawn.

In testimony whereof we have hereunto aflixed our signatures.

NELS O. JOHNSON. EDGAR C. ANDERSON air of.

